Our Workshop

Illustration of a hand holding a carving tool.

The Old School, Stobo

We are fortunate to have an ideal workshop building in the beautiful Stobo Valley, close to the River Tweed and surrounded by perfect places to walk, cycle and swim.

The 'Old School' building with a peaked roof and a cross on top, located in a rural area with a gravel path and grass in front.
A white house with a dark roof surrounded by trees with colorful autumn leaves. The ground is covered with fallen yellow, orange, and brown leaves. Clear blue sky with some clouds visible.
Close-up of red and orange autumn leaves on tree branches with a background of trees and sky.
Flat, stylised illustration of a saw with a yellow handle and a grey blade.

Local Landmarks & Amenities

We have a nice local community in Stobo, we are 7 miles from good facilities/shops/theatre in the local town of Peebles, 6 miles from the village of Broughton with an excellent community shop & pub, and 28 miles from Edinburgh.

Illustration of a small village store with a green facade, a door with a rounded top, and a large window displaying furniture inside, labeled 'Broughton Village Store'.

Broughton Village Store

A decorative emblem featuring a symmetrical arrangement of green leaves and plants, with a central arrangement of fern-like leaves, surrounded by a laurel wreath.

Dawyck Botanic Garden

The image features a theatrical stage with curtains, a comedic mask, and a tragic mask hanging in the center, symbolizing theatre and drama.

Eastgate Theatre

A digital illustration of a castle with towers and a central gate, surrounded by trees.

Stobo Castle

People

Mark Norris originally trained making harpsichords, spinets & clavichords through a traditional 4 year apprenticeship in the workshops of Arnold Dolmetsch, before returning to Scotland in 1981 to establish his own workshop making harps.  Over the last 45 years he has designed & made high quality Scottish harps for professional players, teachers, performers and recording artists around the world, and has established a firm reputation for the finest workmanship and instruments with outstanding sound qualities.  He has enjoyed working with trainees & interns over many years, and will now focus on full-time teaching in the School of Harp Making. 

A middle-aged man with curly dark hair smiling in front of a wooden background.

Mark Norris,
Harp Maker & Teacher

Gwen Rowland,
Fundraiser & Adminstrator

A woman with short brown hair, wearing glasses and a green shirt, smiling outdoors with green foliage in the background.

Gwen Rowland is our wonderful administrator for the School and she has worked tirelessly over the last year to help with securing funding to renovate the Old School building and set up our ideal teaching/learning spaces with benches, tools & equipment for students.

An umber-coloured line drawing of a shaving of wood.